chiefly women, who gave us an extravagant welcome, and brought food and water. We partook of the latter only, and hastened to the house of Nasamo, the sheriff or public executioner, to which we were directed by the advice of the Rev. Mr. Reid, who had not long before visited Ilorin. His dwelling, at no time adapted to the purposes of hospitality, was still worse now that a recent fire in his neighborhood had compelled him, as well as all his neighbors, to remove the thatch from his roof. The entire building and grounds were comprised in an area of not over thirty feet square, and this space accommodated, with ourselves, more than eighteen persons, besides our horses. Nasamo, though evidently not less than seventy or eighty years old, is yet vigorous both in mind and physical constitution. He was the first important personage we met without a single wife: he had one who made him the father of three or four daughters, but since her death he has lived a widower. One of his daughters attends to his domestic affairs,
Early the following day we sent our interpreter to salute the king, and inform him of our visit to his capital, asking to be permitted as soon as possible to pay our respects to him in person. The interpreter was conducted to Dungari, the king's prime-minister, who received, and conveyed the message to his master.
